The Oba of Benin, Omo N’ Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare N’Ogidgan 11, has insisted that the Benin Palace remains neutral in the politics of the state. He made the clarification yesterday, when he received the Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Pastor Osagie Ize- Iyamu, and the governors elected under the platform of the party, who visited him in his Palace in Benin City, the Edo state capital, during the flag off of the party’s governorship campaign in the state.
Oba Ewuare thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for endorsing and presenting his party’s flag to Ize- Iyamu, to participate in the Edo State Governorship election slated for September 19. Oba Ewuare who, along with his Palace chiefs, prayed and gave Ize-Iyamu the traditional blessing said that even though he was elated over the endorsement of the APC’s candidate by the President, he explained that the Palace of the Oba of Benin does not get involved in partisan politics.
He admonished that in order to avoid recurrent socio-political conflict that seems to regularly ravish the state, making the state a laughing stock to the rest of the country on how politicians manage their affairs, Edo political actors should eradicate the twin evil of political violence. Oba Ewuare 11 prayed for peace during and after the state governorship election, advising all stakeholders to play by the rules.
Earlier, Ize-Iyamu said he was in the Palace, in line with the Benin tradition and culture to inform the Oba that the APC’s leaders were in his domain, Benin City, for the flag off of the party’s governorship election and requested for his blessing and prayer.
